After Being Scummed – Chapter 100

Extra 3: Brilliance of Youth 5

During dinner, Grandma Yin kept serving dishes to Zuo Jingyou, urging her to eat more. She even asked about Zuo Jingyou’s preferences and promised to make her favorite dishes next time.

Seeing this, Yin Bai became indignant and poked at her chopsticks while glaring at Zuo Jingyou, her face filled with resentment.

Today was supposed to be her birthday, but Grandma doted on Zuo Jingyou and seemed to neglect her. Her heart was in so much pain!

Zuo Jingyou looked up and saw Yin Bai sulking like a jealous little vinegar sachet. It was both amusing and exasperating.

Zuo Jingyou picked up her chopsticks and also served Yin Bai a piece of meat. Only then did the corners of Yin Bai’s raised mouth curve downwards, revealing a hint of a smile.

Although this person was prone to jealousy, she was easy to understand and appease. Zuo Jingyou found this aspect of her particularly endearing.

The whole Yin family had a delightful meal. After dinner, Auntie brought out a cake, and the family celebrated Yin Bai’s birthday in a simple manner.

Yin Bai received her birthday gift and happily said thank you. They chatted for a while longer, but Grandma Yin had some things to attend to, so she asked Yin Bai to take Zuo Jingyou around in the wheelchair.

Zuo Jingyou pushed the wheelchair for her, and as they walked and talked, Zuo Jingyou asked, “Why don’t you use a wheelchair at school?”

Yin Bai frowned and answered somewhat unhappily, “Some of the facilities at our school are not very friendly to disabled people, so it’s not convenient for me to use a wheelchair.”

Zuo Jingyou thought for a moment and realized that it was indeed the case. She smiled and said to Yin Bai, “It’s okay. In the future, if you want, I can push you.”

The corners of Yin Bai’s mouth couldn’t help but curl up, but she stubbornly replied, “We’ll see.”

The two strolled around the garden, and Yin Bai introduced the garden to Zuo Jingyou, mentioning that there would be many roses in spring, and it would be a beautiful sight when she visits.

Zuo Jingyou nodded in agreement.

Yin Bai then introduced the swimming pool in her house to Zuo Jingyou, happily saying, “If you come in the summer, you can also swim. Grandma loves swimming, but I’m not very good at it. If you come, maybe she can have someone teach you.”

Zuo Jingyou smiled and said to Yin Bai, “Summer is still next year’s business. By then, I don’t know if you will still remember me or be willing to invite me to your house.”

Yin Bai looked up at her, her gaze firm, and said, “Of course I will. You’re my friend.”

The two good friends finished exploring the house and it was almost bedtime. Yin Bai took Zuo Jingyou to the guest room, sat in the wheelchair, and said to her, “I’ve put new pajamas and clean disposable underwear on your bed. You can sleep after taking a shower.”

“Tomorrow, I will take you back. Whenever you can come to visit me, my room is right next to yours.”

Zuo Jingyou blinked and replied with a simple “Okay.”

After Yin Bai finished speaking, she pushed the wheelchair back to her own bedroom to take a shower. Not long after she came out of the bathroom and blow-dried her hair, she heard a knocking sound at the door.

Thinking it was either Grandma or Zuo Jingyou, Yin Bai immediately put down the hairdryer and maneuvered the wheelchair towards the door. As she opened it, she muttered, “Coming, coming.”

She opened the door and peeked outside, only to see Zuo Jingyou wearing an extremely thin nightgown, with a white towel wrapped around her head, standing at the door with a smile. She said, “I couldn’t find a hairdryer in my room, so I wanted to ask if you have one.”

Zuo Jingyou leaned forward, looking at Yin Bai with a smile, and said, “I hope I didn’t bother you too much.”

Her beautiful face suddenly became clear in Yin Bai’s eyes, and a familiar sweet fragrance enveloped Yin Bai from head to toe, startling her. She instinctively pushed the wheelchair backward.

Yin Bai looked up, staring at Zuo Jingyou, who was getting closer to her, her heartbeat suddenly accelerating. She pursed her lips and took a moment before saying, “Yes, come in, I’ll get it for you.”

Yin Bai led Zuo Jingyou into her room, with Zuo Jingyou following behind. As she looked at the dreamy room adorned like the starry sky, Zuo Jingyou exclaimed, “Yin Bai, your room looks so romantic!”

Yin Bai raised her gaze and glanced at her, asking, “Is it nice?”

Zuo Jingyou nodded emphatically and replied, “Of course, it’s beautiful.”

Yin Bai smiled and handed her the hairdryer, saying with a playful expression, “Since you speak so nicely, here you go.”

Zuo Jingyou clasped her hands together and looked at Yin Bai with utmost seriousness, saying, “So, since you think I speak nicely, can I ask you to blow-dry my hair?”

Yin Bai blinked, holding the hairdryer and looking at her. “I’ve never heard such a request before.”

Zuo Jingyou smirked mischievously and softly said, “Well, this will be an eye-opening experience for you.”

“Please, pretty please. My hair is thick and long, it’s so boring and troublesome to blow-dry it myself.”

Yin Bai held the hairdryer, thinking to herself, “If I blow-dry your hair for you, won’t I be bothered as well?”

Although that’s what she thought, she didn’t say it out loud. She nodded somewhat absentmindedly and said, “Okay, I’ll reluctantly blow-dry it for you.”

She said it was reluctantly, but when Zuo Jingyou actually sat beside her and asked for her help in blow-drying her hair, Yin Bai was actually quite willing.

At the age of nineteen, Zuo Jingyou exuded a unique aura that fell somewhere between a girl and a young woman. She was like a ripening peach, with a slightly mature feeling mixed with a touch of youthfulness.

Her slightly damp long hair cascaded over her shoulders, partially obscuring her slender, snow-white neck. Yin Bai grabbed the hairdryer and gently blew the hair at her neck, creating a whooshing sound.

Perhaps the hot air was too intense, Yin Bai felt her face becoming unnaturally warm. She lowered her gaze, her eyes unconsciously looking at Zuo Jingyou.

She gazed at Zuo Jingyou’s delicately exposed clavicle, at the beautiful rosy-white skin that resembled a pink rose, and finally, her gaze settled on the side of Zuo Jingyou’s neck.

Her gaze lingered for a long time on the side of Zuo Jingyou’s neck. Although she hadn’t forgotten to blow-dry Zuo Jingyou’s hair, her mind had already wandered off to an unknown realm.

Zuo Jingyou quickly noticed her distraction and asked, “Yin Bai, why have you been looking at me?”

Yin Bai instinctively retorted, “Wh-who… who said I was looking at you!”

Her words stumbled, clearly lacking confidence. Zuo Jingyou smirked and chuckled softly, “I can feel it. You’ve been looking at me. Of course, I know.”

Yin Bai instantly lost her confidence and hmphed without further protest.

With raised eyebrows, Zuo Jingyou asked again, “So, what were you looking at? I’m quite curious. What exactly do I have that’s worth capturing your attention for so long?”

Yin Bai pursed her lips and after a while, pointed to the side of Zuo Jingyou’s neck and said, “You have a small red mole here. It looks… quite cute.”

This time, it was Zuo Jingyou’s turn to be surprised.

A rare blush appeared on her face as she feigned indifference and asked, “Really? I didn’t know I had one. Where is it?”

In the next moment, Yin Bai’s icy fingertips landed on her warm neck and gently pressed down. “Here.”

Zuo Jingyou’s earlobes turned red as she raised her hand to touch the spot where Yin Bai’s fingertips had made contact. Suppressing the momentary surge of palpitations, she said softly, “Oh… I didn’t know I had a mole there. It’s my first time finding out.”

Yin Bai withdrew her hand, rubbing her fingertips as if still feeling the smooth touch of the moment. Absentmindedly, she said, “Well, it’s normal that you can’t see it because it’s on the side of your neck.”

She finished blow-drying Zuo Jingyou’s hair, put away the hairdryer, and said, “Alright, it’s dry now. You should go to sleep.”

Zuo Jingyou stood up and gently looked at Yin Bai. “Okay then, goodnight, little birthday girl…” The little birthday girl pushed her wheelchair and escorted her to the door, bidding her goodnight as well.

But after saying goodnight, Yin Bai pushed the wheelchair to the bedside. When she lay down in her deep blue sheets, she found it difficult to fall asleep.

She left a bedside lamp on, and lying in bed, she felt as if she were nestled in the depths of a serene and blue sea. She looked up at her starry ceiling, her thoughts scattered.

At times, she thought of Zuo Jingyou’s delightful fragrance, at times of her fair skin. She thought of her slim and tall figure, flawless in every way.

In the end, a thought emerged in Yin Bai’s mind: Zuo Jingyou’s neck must be a perfect place to bite.

Lost in her wild thoughts for a while, her phone, which had been set aside, suddenly rang with a distinctive ringtone.

This is the ringtone that Yin Bai specially set for Zuo Jingyou. Upon hearing this sound, Yin Bai almost immediately reached out, took her phone, and quickly answered the call.

Before long, Zuo Jingyou’s voice came through the earpiece in the quiet night. “Xiao Bai~”

In the darkness, the girl’s voice sounded tender and soft, inexplicably tugging at one’s heartstrings. Yin Bai pursed her lips, curling up her body as she asked, “Why did you call me?”

Zuo Jingyou chuckled softly and said in a gentle voice, “I suddenly remembered that I haven’t sung you a birthday song yet…”

Yin Bai muttered, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Didn’t you sing when we cut the cake?”

Zuo Jingyou replied matter-of-factly, “But I haven’t sung a separate one just for you. Would you like to listen?”

Without hesitation, Yin Bai answered, “Yes!”

Zuo Jingyou chuckled lightly, and soon Yin Bai heard her gentle voice singing in her ear, “Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday, Happy birthday~ Happy birthday to you!”

“Xiao Bai, happy 18th birthday!”

Yin Bai couldn’t help but lift the corners of her lips. Holding her phone, she softly said, “Thank you, Zuo Jingyou.”

“You’re welcome, my friend.”

Listening to her melodious laughter, like that of a nightingale, Yin Bai hesitated for a moment before saying, “Zuo Jingyou, actually…”

“Hmm?”

Yin Bai paused, and suddenly a great courage surged within her heart. “You’re the first friend who has sung me a birthday song.”

Zuo Jingyou wasn’t surprised, only smiling as she asked, “Am I also the first friend who has come home with you?”

Yin Bai nodded and said, “Yes.”

Zuo Jingyou laughed, “I feel honored, Yin Bai. So, in the future, will I always have the privilege of celebrating your birthday?”

Yin Bai nodded firmly, “Of course!”

Yin Bai thought that in her eighteenth year, it was wonderful to have met such a gentle and kind friend.